Jesus said that when we were sent by Him we are being sent by the Father (John 20:21). He went onto say that if they rejected Him, they will reject us.
Joh 15:20 "Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they
persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
When we became born again we came into a new kingdom (Col. 1:13). The old is passed away; behold all things are new (II Cor. 5:17). This also means that we no longer belong to ourselves but we have been bought with the blood of Christ--we belong to God (I Cor. 6:20). What we say, do, and live to in Christ means that we are not alone or on our own. We've been sent; we've been inspired and led.
When we witness, share, pray for, preach, teach, and promote the love of God it is not our own. We are drawing from the grace of God to work the works of Christ (John 14:12). We've been blessed with the infusion of the divine nature that is empowering us to believe, to act and think in the realm of faith (II Pet. 1:4). We are walking in His steps (with Him); abiding in His Spirit (John 15:5). All of this is to say that when we witness for Him it is the Lord's work through us. When we preach, teach, and share, it is the Lord's work in us.
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand that we should walk in them.
Joh 15:20 "Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they
persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
When we became born again we came into a new kingdom (Col. 1:13). The old is passed away; behold all things are new (II Cor. 5:17). This also means that we no longer belong to ourselves but we have been bought with the blood of Christ--we belong to God (I Cor. 6:20). What we say, do, and live to in Christ means that we are not alone or on our own. We've been sent; we've been inspired and led.
When we witness, share, pray for, preach, teach, and promote the love of God it is not our own. We are drawing from the grace of God to work the works of Christ (John 14:12). We've been blessed with the infusion of the divine nature that is empowering us to believe, to act and think in the realm of faith (II Pet. 1:4). We are walking in His steps (with Him); abiding in His Spirit (John 15:5). All of this is to say that when we witness for Him it is the Lord's work through us. When we preach, teach, and share, it is the Lord's work in us.
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand that we should walk in them.
If the Lord's work is moving us to say and do then He is also responsible. God does not draw back if we are rejected and leave us to work it out for ourselves. God does not step aside when our sharing isn't received. If they reject us God takes it as rejection with us. If they persecute us God is persecuted with us. In fact, Jesus said that God takes as the reason and source for the rejection, His presence in our life!
Joh 15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you."
This position that the gospel of Jesus puts us in is blessed by the Father (Eph. 1:3); however, it may be disturbing to others. When we are sent God goes with us and rejoices with us when others receive, accept, and find peace with HIm. God is blessed when others are blessed through our usefulness to the kingdom of God. On the other hand, when others turn away, disassociate with us, abandon our friendship, or keep us at arms length so to speak, God is turned away, disassociated with, abandoned, and kept away...through us.
I share this because sometimes we feel that when things go well that our spirit rejoices with God's Spirit; but when things do not go well due to persecution, rejection, and/or hatred that we are the ones bearing the burden of it. Our needs are God's needs! Our call is God's call! Our life is God's life! We are not alone even when we might feel that way.
Mt 5:12 "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.
In the world when someone is sponsored by another it can be that when things don't work out that the sponsor will also turn away. With God however, that would be so contrary to His loving nature that to embrace the thought that He would turn away is a type of blasphemy. We would be accusing God of using us but then abandoning us when things go wrong or seem to be failing. Remember this promise:
Heb 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
When we are grieved, shaken, disturbed, and/or distressed, God doesn't look the other way.He is with us to deliver us and bring us over everything we face. God will not let us down for He is not like us (Num. 23:19). He doesn't use us, manipulate, abandon, or forsake us. He is not a man that He should lie, cheat, steal, or destroy us for His own gain. There is no other being like God. He is faithful and true (Rev. 19:11). God is the only being that will honor our will, sustain us, forgive us, comfort, restore, and remain with us forever!
God is not sending us into battle to be slaughtered and sacrificed for His own gains. This may be what people will do by selling us out or leaving us to swim for ourselves. When we hurt; God hurts! When we are dismayed; God is compassionate and knows that we are made of dust (Psalms. 103:14). When we miss it; God redeems, restores, and gives back to us what was lost (Joel 2:25). Our God is greater than any other (I John 4:4). He is greater than any situation or circumstance we might face and He will never leave us to face it alone. God has said, "I will supply, I will uphold, I will keep you...I have helped you!"
How can we trust anyone when we know what is in the heart of fallen man (John 2:24, 25)? We have been foolish in times past to put our trust in loved ones, close friends, and even parents, only to have our trust be betrayed or taken advantage of...to be let down. God is not like that! Our needs are His needs (I Cor. 6:17)! Our life is His life! When we became born again we became His! When we act in His will, do His works, share, witness, preach and teach what to the best of our understanding is God's leading, He will never abandon us or leave us to deal with the rejection or hate.
God is love! God's love for us never fails (I Cor. 13:8)! God's kingdom and resources are at our disposal always. Our needs are His needs never forget that! If we need food, clothing, money, gas, support, friends, help in anyway...God needs food, clothing, money, gas, support, friends, help through us...because He is in us! We may not be able to do much sometimes to meet those needs by ourselves; however, we are NOT BY OURSELVES! We are not without Christ to meet our every need (Phil. 4:13)! We've been given the name of Jesus to call for those needs to be met and the forces of heaven respond faithfully to make it so (John 14:14)!
Php 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Joh 15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you."
This position that the gospel of Jesus puts us in is blessed by the Father (Eph. 1:3); however, it may be disturbing to others. When we are sent God goes with us and rejoices with us when others receive, accept, and find peace with HIm. God is blessed when others are blessed through our usefulness to the kingdom of God. On the other hand, when others turn away, disassociate with us, abandon our friendship, or keep us at arms length so to speak, God is turned away, disassociated with, abandoned, and kept away...through us.
I share this because sometimes we feel that when things go well that our spirit rejoices with God's Spirit; but when things do not go well due to persecution, rejection, and/or hatred that we are the ones bearing the burden of it. Our needs are God's needs! Our call is God's call! Our life is God's life! We are not alone even when we might feel that way.
Mt 5:12 "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.
In the world when someone is sponsored by another it can be that when things don't work out that the sponsor will also turn away. With God however, that would be so contrary to His loving nature that to embrace the thought that He would turn away is a type of blasphemy. We would be accusing God of using us but then abandoning us when things go wrong or seem to be failing. Remember this promise:
Heb 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
When we are grieved, shaken, disturbed, and/or distressed, God doesn't look the other way.He is with us to deliver us and bring us over everything we face. God will not let us down for He is not like us (Num. 23:19). He doesn't use us, manipulate, abandon, or forsake us. He is not a man that He should lie, cheat, steal, or destroy us for His own gain. There is no other being like God. He is faithful and true (Rev. 19:11). God is the only being that will honor our will, sustain us, forgive us, comfort, restore, and remain with us forever!
God is not sending us into battle to be slaughtered and sacrificed for His own gains. This may be what people will do by selling us out or leaving us to swim for ourselves. When we hurt; God hurts! When we are dismayed; God is compassionate and knows that we are made of dust (Psalms. 103:14). When we miss it; God redeems, restores, and gives back to us what was lost (Joel 2:25). Our God is greater than any other (I John 4:4). He is greater than any situation or circumstance we might face and He will never leave us to face it alone. God has said, "I will supply, I will uphold, I will keep you...I have helped you!"
How can we trust anyone when we know what is in the heart of fallen man (John 2:24, 25)? We have been foolish in times past to put our trust in loved ones, close friends, and even parents, only to have our trust be betrayed or taken advantage of...to be let down. God is not like that! Our needs are His needs (I Cor. 6:17)! Our life is His life! When we became born again we became His! When we act in His will, do His works, share, witness, preach and teach what to the best of our understanding is God's leading, He will never abandon us or leave us to deal with the rejection or hate.
God is love! God's love for us never fails (I Cor. 13:8)! God's kingdom and resources are at our disposal always. Our needs are His needs never forget that! If we need food, clothing, money, gas, support, friends, help in anyway...God needs food, clothing, money, gas, support, friends, help through us...because He is in us! We may not be able to do much sometimes to meet those needs by ourselves; however, we are NOT BY OURSELVES! We are not without Christ to meet our every need (Phil. 4:13)! We've been given the name of Jesus to call for those needs to be met and the forces of heaven respond faithfully to make it so (John 14:14)!
Php 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.